Train Tracks, Bus Stops, and the Cost of Real Security

This site had it all: an infrequently used rail line immediately adjacent, a bus stop across the street, and a steady population of homeless and vagrants. On paper, it was manageable. In real life, it required a proactive security strategy from day one.

During construction, we carried full-time, on-site security. Not cameras. Actual humans. For nearly two years. The added cost was roughly $150k, and it was non-negotiable. Material theft, vandalism, safety incidents, and liability exposure would have cost far more. Post-construction, the design reinforced security with gated parking, controlled access points, and key-fobbed entries to ensure residents felt safe and that non-residents couldn’t wander into the buildings.

In the end, security was not an issue. And that’s the point. When you plan for the worst and spend intentionally, the outcome looks boring. Developers who underestimate security in challenging locations often pay for it later in ways that don’t show up neatly on a pro forma.